10 Christian Family-Friendly Outdoor Adventure Locations in the U.S.
Would you like to try a new type of vacation for your family? Adventure awaits you and your family members at these 10 amazing camps. One of these camps is bound to appeal to everyone in your family whether you enjoy resort accommodations, desire more traditional camp activities, or want a challenging bonding experience roughing it in the wild.
If you’re feeling really adventurous, these cross-country road trips won’t disappoint.
Many of the programs described here also offer summer camp options for the kids if the parents want to kick back for a stay-cation. If the fees are a bit out of your budget, most offer scholarships or financial aid and some accept donations rather than charge a fee. All are Christian oriented and incorporate worship, devotionals, Bible studies, and more. Get ready for your family adventure as you strengthen your relationship with Christ.
#1 Solid Rock Outdoor Ministries – Laramie, Wyoming
Solid Rock Outdoor Ministries offers family outdoor adventures in six national parks and recreational areas across the U.S. One of their featured adventures is a seven day, seven night “Father and Family” program for ages 13 and over. Any combo of a father with a biological child, step-child, adopted, or spiritual child is welcome.
Tuition is $1049 and includes skill building in navigation, camp set up and tear down, backcountry cooking, outdoor ethics, personal challenges, and characteristics of a Godly leader. Book your father/child trip for July of 2019 or 2020. SROM also offers trips for teen girls, teen boys, teens co-ed, women, and adults.
#2 Rugged Faith – Cusick, Washington
Rugged Faith invites their participants to “live their faith out loud” through customized outings for groups of any physical ability or spiritual need, so it’s perfect for families. They provide trips that cost between $30 per day and $600 per week and can include ropes courses, backpacking, hiking, rappelling, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, skiing, or snowboarding. Check out pictures from their awe-inspiring trips exploring God’s beautiful creation.
#3 Glorieta Adventure Camps – Santa Fe, New Mexico
The 2019 Family Camp series starts June 9th and runs through August 10th. This six day camp is promised to create opportunities for God to work in your family’s hearts. Glorieta combines Biblical truths through worship, inspirational speakers, and family devotionals with outdoor experiences such as water sports, disc golf, archery, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, field games, and obstacle courses.
Camp fees range from $100 to $400 depending on the age of each child and around $500 for adults. Accommodations will cost another $200 to $600, but you can save by taking your RV. Get more information about rates and scholarships here.
#4 AEI Base Camp – Almont, Colorado
AEI Base Camp offers customized family adventure packages that include accommodations for up to 16 people ranging from $200 to $400 per night. There’s a long list of outdoor adventures such as backpacking, rock climbing, adventure racing, whitewater rafting, fly fishing, challenge courses, ziplining, hiking, and kayaking at a general rate of $120 per day, but rates vary based on length of time and equipment needed. AEI Base Camp promises a safe opportunity to experience God and grow in your relationship through Christian family values.
#5 Christian Warrior Adventure Camp – Fredericksburg, Virginia
Christian Warrier Adventure Camp’s tagline is “victory through the journey,” and their mission is to provide biblical teaching through outdoor activities to support families in raising up courageous and Godly children. They offer two weekend family camps: basic and survivor.
The basic package includes instruction in fire building, shelter construction, basic first aid, water collection and purifying, 72-hour signaling and rescue, and choosing personal gear. The survivor package kicks it up a notch and is designed for family members 10 years of age or older. This package includes primitive shelter building, fire constructing, water collecting and disinfecting, food gathering, campfire cooking, primitive hunting and trapping, and signaling and rescue. There’s no better way for the family to bond through Christ than thriving together in the wilderness.
#6 Camp Magruder – Rockaway Beach, Oregon
Though Camp Magruder has many camp offerings, it appeals specifically to families through their camps during Memorial Day weekend, 4th of July week, and Labor Day weekend. This family camp focuses on environmental education. Surrounding its 160 acres are several ecosystems to include the forest, ocean, freshwater lake, marsh, and ocean tide pools.
Camp Magruder’s affiliation with the United Methodist Church provides a more applied approach so that participants can “grow in wisdom and in healthy self-esteem and develop lifestyles of loving interdependence with each other and all of creation.” Camp Magruder is an LGBTQ+ friendly community with a focus on Christian hospitality and learning.
#7 Kanakuk Family Kamp – Branson, Missouri
Kanakuk Family Kamp is a resort-quality camp with plenty of activities for “infants to grandparents” as their website describes. Excursions include canoeing, ropes courses, fly fishing, bluff jumping, paintball, hiking, biking, clay shooting, golf, horseback riding, water park, and even an escape room.
Each term lasts one week, and special guest speakers lead each term. Along with resort quality comes the price: each term ranges from $150 to $1,025 depending on age, and cabin rentals are $1,000 for the term.
#8 Camp Kulaqua – High Springs, Florida
Camp Kulaqua offers a weekend family getaway Labor Day weekend each year. They have a wide range of accommodations available sleeping four to 20 people starting at $217. Save by taking your RV, or tent camp for free. Program fees are $138 per person no matter the age.
Activities include Tower of Faith, go-karts, family model rocketry, horseback riding, on-site water park, tubing, rodeo, family worship, music, devotionals, and family tea. Programs for just the kids are available throughout the year.
#9 Living Waters Bible Camp – Westby, Wisconsin
Family camp during the week of July 4th is really happening at Living Waters Bible Camp. Living Waters invites you to take this week to step out of the busy world and refocus on God’s purpose for you and your family. Unique to Living Waters is their Kid Kaddie Program which offers an extra hand with the kids during meal time or nap time.
Pricing is based on age and ranges from $101 to $189 and includes accommodations. One of the more affordable camps on our list, Living Waters doesn’t charge for kids age birth to three, and the Kid Kaddie Program is definitely of inclusive value. Activities include horseback riding, nature programs, archery, rock climbing, canoeing, team sports, swimming, fishing, frisbee golf, campfire fellowship, and Bible study.
#10 Mount Hermon at Kidder Creek – Greenview, California
Kidder Creek is one of three locations of Mount Hermon and is a half-day drive from Portland and San Francisco. The camp is located in the Scott Valley near Mount Shasta with the Marble Mountain Wilderness area in its backyard. Their motto is “develop grit in God’s creation,” and they offer both day and overnight programs.
The day programs focus on ropes courses, ziplining, laser tag, and horseback riding. Their overnight programs feature the same as the day program in addition to whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and backpacking. The overnight programs range from two to six nights with weekend retreats starting at $99 per person and five-day adventures costing up to $470, but they also offer customized packages.
We hope you will find a perfect fit for your outdoor family adventure through one of these suggested programs scattered throughout some of the more adventurous locations in the country. The summer is just getting started, so make your reservations today or start planning for 2020.
Zaneta is a Research Specialist and Writer for autoinsurance.org and exercise.com. Writing and research has been an integral component of her studies in anthropology, instructional technology, technical and professional communication, and adult education. A mountain biker-turned-paddler, she lives in Greenville, SC with her spouse, 12-year-old daughter, three lizards, and two Daschunds. Her family attends the Greenville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
